Tales of a Great Generation
by FeatheredCrown
Summary: A series of one-shots set in my series of novels. These stories are focused on my lesser known characters and the lives they lead. From leaders to kits, from medicine cats to rogues, these tales are seen through the eyes of every cat big or small, so long as they have the heart of a warrior. WARNING: Contains spoilers from my first book, I recommend you read Awakening before this!
1. Flowerstar's Nine Lives

The light wind drifting over the moor promised warmer weather. Flowerbelly breathed deeply, savouring in the gentle night breeze. It helped calm her nerves for what was to come.

"Everything is so peaceful now," she murmured quietly to Robinsong, who was padding along beside her.

The Windclan medicine cat's eyes flicked across the hills as if she didn't really believe that the danger had passed. "We're lucky the Moonpool is close enough that we're not forced to travel through another Clan's territory," she mewed. "I bet they wouldn't hesitate to ambush us."

Flowerbelly stifled a growl of exasperation. It was Robinsong's duty to be compassionate to all, even another Clan, and yet she continued to treat them with distrust. "Less than a moon ago the Clans united to defeat the monster," Flowerbelly said patiently. "I doubt they would go to all that trouble winning back our territory only to attack us now."

"You can't put anything past them," the red-brown she-cat replied. "When you receive your nine lives tonight you'll have to accept that."

Anxiety stiffened Flowerbelly's steps at the mention of her ceremony. "Marshstar still remains missing," she pointed out. "What if he's still alive somewhere and Starclan is angry with us for not searching further?" Her eyes widened. "What if they don't grant me my nine lives?"

Robinsong cut her deputy a glance. "It was your decision to give up the search. Windclan can't go any longer without a leader."

Flowerbelly shut her eyes tight. "I know," she meowed. "I just hope I'm not being too rash here."

"Marshstar would want his Clan going strong," Robinsong insisted. "He trusted your judgment as deputy and knew you would be the next great leader of Windclan. He had faith in you. It's about time you have faith in yourself."

Flowerbelly blinked in surprise. The medicine cat was usually so broody and stoic. Such unflinching support was strange to her ears. Nonetheless, Robinsong's words encouraged her.

The black-and-white she-cat lifted her head to take in the blanket of stars in the sky. They seemed to glow especially bright, and Flowerbelly wondered if Starclan were eagerly anticipating her ceremony. "Do you think I'll see Marshstar tonight?" she asked.

Robinsong grew thoughtful. "Maybe. But don't be deterred if you don't. Every ceremony is different."

They drifted into a comfortable silence after that. Eventually the ground underpaw became steeper as the two cats made their way up to the ridge overlooking the pool. When they reached the top, Flowerbelly stared in awe at the beautifully clear water. The moon and stars rippled and blurred in the pool's reflection. The soft trickling of the stream was like an echoing song in her ears. The air was cool and refreshing as it brushed through her fur.

She'd been to the Moonpool once before, when Marshstar wanted advice from Starclan last Leafbare, but it still took her breath away.

Robinsong led the way silently, as was the tradition. They climbed down into the hollow and sat side by side at the water's edge. The Clan medicine cat signaled with her tail for Flowerbelly to lap from the pool.

This was it.

Flowerbelly crouched and dipped her head until her nose grazed the surface. Gentle ripples spread from her touch. Stretching her muzzle, she drew her tongue over the water. It was colder than ice and somehow tasted like the sky. Blackness encircled the Windclan deputy's vision as Starclan took hold of her dreams.

...

Flowerbelly opened her eyes to learn that she was at the center of the Gathering Island clearing. The Great Tree rose up from the ground, appearing to be much higher than in the waking world. The topmost branches seemed to scratch a path through Silverpelt.

Flowerbelly blinked. The stars were trembling before her eyes. _No, they're changing!_

They swirled and danced merrily. A path spiraled down from the sky itself as the cats of Starclan glided over it and into the clearing. They began to take on shapes both familiar and unfamiliar as they settled before Flowerbelly. They shimmered and glowed, making it hard for her to focus completely on one shape. But she found it impossible to look away.

Their pelts were like cold flame, and they smelled fresh and sharp to Flowerbelly's nose. She stood rigid as they surrounded her. She lifted her head to show that she was not afraid, that she was proud to stand here tonight. It was then that she spotted a line of familiar faces mere tail-lengths away.

"Rowanstripe!" she couldn't help calling. Her long-lost mate blinked at her warmly, but he didn't reply. At his side was a very small cat, a cat Flowerbelly would have recognized anywhere.

_Sedgekit!_ Her throat was too tight with emotion to speak. She had no idea what words she would say to her son that could possibly explain the sorrow and regret for his wasted life. Last she'd seen the tiny kit, he'd been skinny and weak with hardship. Now his light brown tabby fur gleamed with starshine and his blue eyes glowed with wisdom.

Unable to bear it any longer, Flowerbelly tore her gaze away from her dead family. She took in the other cats before her, each figure warming her heart and breaking it at the same time.

Marshstar wasn't with them.

Before she could ask for him, a single voice spoke to her soul. Remarkably, the words rang with the timber of her loved ones as if they'd all contributed a piece of their spirits to the voice.

"Welcome, Flowerbelly," they said. "Are you ready to receive your nine lives?"

Flowerbelly swallowed, forcing her voice not to tremble. "I am."

A young gray tabby tom stood and gracefully approached her. Flowerbelly gasped when she recognized Driftpaw, an old friend who had trained alongside her many seasons ago before dying of an infected fox bite.

"We've had quite a few adventures together, haven't we?" she purred haltingly as he stretched forward to touch his muzzle between her ears. What she wasn't expecting was the white-hot blaze that licked through her body. She wanted to writhe and shriek, but some otherworldly power forced her to remain still.

"With this life I give you youth," Driftpaw declared. "Use it well to understand the dreams of your little warriors, and to face every challenge with hopeful energy."

The burning sensation faded, leaving Flowerbelly panting. Driftpaw's eyes danced as he returned to his place among Starclan.

_Will every life be like that?_ She wondered despairingly. Then she shook her head. Her Clan depended on her._This pain will bring with it the strength to protect my Clan! Give as much of it to me as you can!_

She blinked as another cat approached her, this time a silver tabby she-cat. It was Streamfur, a Shadowclan warrior Flowerbelly had befriended at previous Gatherings. A few moons ago Streamfur had died when an old tree fell. Flowerbelly still grieved for this cat as if a stone weighed in her heart.

Streamfur leaned forward to rest her nose on the top of the deputy's head and Flowerbelly tensed, prepared for the worst. "With this life I give you friendship," the Shadowclan cat purred. "Use it well to find allies even in the darkest of places."

Once again Flowerbelly trembled under the searing pain that was both gentle and fierce. She unwittingly thought of all her Clan mates and knew with certainty that she would die for every single one of them.

Streamfur backed away and left Flowerbelly alone in the unearthly clearing once more. Before the deputy could recover, another cat made its way towards her. She blinked in surprise when she realized it was Thornstar. The brown tom had been Windclan leader back when Flowerbelly had been a kit and Marshstar had been Marshfur. The former leader gazed at her proudly and stooped to press against her head.

"With this life I give you wisdom," he rumbled. "Use it well to guide your Clan mates and to know what path is greatest."

This life was just as searing as the first two, but Flowerbelly was ready and willing to drink in every bit of agony. As she watched Thornstar return to his place, another cat stepped forward. Her russet pelt sprinkled with stars as she stopped in front of Flowerbelly, whose eyes widened incredulously.

"Redfern!" she rasped.

The mystery of this she-cat's death was still ongoing. Before he disappeared, Marshstar had believed that a Thunderclan warrior was responsible. At this point the likely culprit was the beast that had preyed on the Clan cats. Still, Flowerbelly wanted to know the truth.

"What happened to you?" she begged, desperate for some closure.

Redfern blinked sagely. "Look for fire. It forms the darkest of shadows."

Before Flowerbelly could ask what the warrior meant, Redfern raised her voice as she bushed against the deputy's head. "With this life I give you patience. You will need it in the moons to come. Preserve your Clan and all its warriors."

The pain was intense, but it was somehow lighter than the others. It wasn't easy, but it was manageable. With that, the Starclan warrior returned to her shimmering Clan mates.

The next life-giver didn't surprise Flowerbelly. It was Blackear, who had once been an elder of Windclan. Flowerbelly had always been drawn to this addled old tom throughout her life. He'd been lighthearted and funny, and he'd always made time for her. They'd had a wondrous friendship until he'd died peacefully one clear night. Flowerbelly missed him dearly, but his time had come, and she would always cherish their time together.

His eyes sparkled with the same familiar light they'd had in life. Both cats didn't need to share words. Their unspoken connection said it all. "With this life I give you happiness. Use it well to brighten up your life, and the life of those around you." His rasping purr filled her ears. "You deserve it."

This life wasn't painful at all. It was bright and warming. Every part of her being seemed to shine with bliss and hope, rejuvenating her in time for the next four lives. Flowerbelly watched Blackear go with the same bittersweet feelings she'd experienced when she'd found his cold body curled up comfortably in his nest.

Another tom emerged from the line, and Flowerbelly purred when she realized he was the former Windclan deputy, Cloudspots. The gray tom had been her best friend for many seasons, and even when he was chosen as deputy, they'd worked together to lead their Clan.

Then the border dispute with Riverclan happened. Cloudspots, who'd been dying of his injuries, asked Flowerbelly to watch over his kits. Overcome with grief, she'd promised him she would. Her old friend was never far from her mind, especially when she gazed upon Frostpaw and Hawkpaw.

Cloudspots regarded her warmly as he dipped his head to touch between her ears. "With this life I give you courage. Use it well in defending your Clan." After the pain faded, he said, "Thank you for watching over my kits. I can't think of any cat more worthy to be called leader than you."

Too overcome with emotion to speak, Flowerbelly bowed her head low as he padded away. Another cat was too impatient to wait for Cloudspots to settle back among his Clan mates, and he jumped up to walk briskly over to Flowerbelly. Even though she recognized his black-and-white pelt right away, she'd know who he was just from his confident stride alone.

"Badgerfang," was all she said. Her brother licked his lips as he strutted up to her. He'd been the most arrogant and proud tom in all of Windclan, but Flowerbelly knew he'd been the best brother in all the world.

"Hey there, sister," he meowed cheerfully, as if he'd just returned from a border patrol. "Look how far you've come!"

She shrugged. "You're not the only one who's too stubborn for his own good."

He purred with amusement. "That's my she-cat." He stooped to touch her head with his nose. "With this life I give you confidence," he meowed clearly. "You will need it when doubt haunts your thoughts."

Flowerbelly eagerly drank his life in. She'd always admired Badgerfang's hard head and she wanted a part of her brother with her always. Every single worry in her mind ebbed away as a burning certainty and clarity scorched through her body. She felt incredibly light as her doubts weighed less on her shoulders. They didn't disappear entirely, but she was positive that she could overcome them.

"Thank you," she murmured as her brother left her. She braced herself, knowing what was to come with her two remaining lives.

And she was right. Sedgekit got to his paws and hopped up to her. _How can he be so small, yet his eyes so bright?_ She wondered sadly.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you," Flowerbelly whispered to him when he met her eyes. They were deep pools of compassion and wisdom, no longer a kit's eyes.

"Don't blame yourself," he mewed kindly. "Guilt weighs too heavily on your spirit."

She blinked rapidly, desperate to memorize every hair on his pelt so that she would always remember this moment. "I can't help it."

He stared at her for many heartbeats. "Maybe I can." He lifted his nose and she had to dip her head so he could touch the right spot. "With this life I give you faith. Use it well so that when we see each other again, guilt won't come between us."

This life came with both happiness and sorrow. It washed over her like a great wave, blasting her with memories both young and old. When Sedgekit retreated, she felt more at peace than ever before. Flowerbelly knew that everything would be alright.

"Until we see each other again," she murmured after him. He didn't look back.

When Rowanstripe broke off from the starry ancestors, Flowerbelly padded forward to meet him. They both stared at each other as if they were both starving, and the sight of their mate was the only thing that could save them.

Rowanstripe's green eyes shone with love, pride, regret, and so many other feelings that Flowerbelly couldn't make sense of. She had a feeling that her eyes reflected the same emotions.

"You've come so far and endured so much," the golden tom meowed. "Some would say that you have lost everything, but Starclan knows that isn't true." He gently nuzzled her cheek and she purred deeply. "You have gained something few cats ever even get to experience. You have the support and fellowship of your Clan, and that is more precious than water."

Flowerbelly leaned back to gaze deep into Rowanstripe's eyes. "I don't know how I did all this without you," she mewed.

He drew his tongue over her cheek. "You didn't," he whispered in her ear. "Because I never left."

He then lifted his muzzle until it rested one last time between her ears. "With this life I give you love. Remember that we are always with you, and that your Clan cherishes you. Love them, love every cat, and most importantly, love yourself."

There was pain in the life Rowanstripe gave her, but Flowerbelly also felt the strength of all her loved ones pulse beneath her fur. It was a glorious sensation that she would take with her forever.

Rowanstripe took many paces back and declared, "I hail you by your new name, Flowerstar. Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and Starclan grants you the guardianship of Windclan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity."

"Flowerstar! Flowerstar! Flowerstar!"

Flowerstar watched with wonder as the cats of Starclan chanted her new name. Badgerfang's caterwaul boomed loudest in the clearing. Driftpaw and Streamfur leaped for joy. Cloudspots, Redfern, and Blackear crowed along, their voices clearer than the Moonpool. Thornstar continued the chant as Sedgekit clambered onto his back for a better view. Rowanstripe didn't yowl as he stood a fox-length in front of her, but his glowing eyes said it all.

Pride bloomed deep within Flowerstar's chest and she lifted her head to the sky. It had been a long journey, but she'd become leader of Windclan. She was their protector and mentor. With the lives of these nine cats she would thrive. There was no place she'd rather be.

_I am Flowerstar, leader of Windclan, and I am coming home!_


	2. Bristlepaw's First Rival

It was the piercing alarm call of a thrush that woke Bristlepaw. Groaning irritably, he curled up tighter in his nest, instinctively twitching his whiskers in search of Rosepaw, his sister. When he found nothing, he scrambled up, blue eyes blinking rapidly.

There were two other nests in the den. One was empty, but smelled heavily of Mousepaw. Fuzzypaw lay snoring in another nest closer to the back. There was no sign of Rosepaw.

Soon enough, the fog cleared from his mind and Bristlepaw remembered where he was. This was the apprentices den, not the nursery. Rosepaw was a medicine cat apprentice, sleeping in Dawnsayer's den.

And Bristlepaw was an apprentice _warrior!_

Excitement enveloped him like a great wave. Trembling from ears to tail tip, the young tom shook out his brown fur. With a little yowl of joy he shot out of the den. He just barely avoided crashing into Bramblenose in his haste.

"Hey, hey, hey!" the dark warrior meowed, reaching out a paw in hopes of catching Bristlepaw. But the apprentice was too quick, and he pranced out of the warrior's reach. To show his respect, he bounced around to address the older cat.

"Yes, Bramblenose?" he chirped happily.

The gray tabby shook his head slowly, jaws hanging open. Eventually he collected himself, saying, "Shouldn't you report to Runningheart and check for any assignments he may have planned for you?"

"That's what I was doing!" Bristlepaw's limbs twitched, eager to find his new mentor. It was an exciting thought; he had a _mentor_!

Bramblenose's whiskers twitched. "Now I know why Stormstar left you in Runningheart's care. I wish him the best of luck!"

Bristlepaw tipped his head to one side as the great warrior padded away. Stumpytail and Tigerfur had said something similar the sunrise before, and still he didn't know what they'd meant.

"Bristlepaw!"

The apprentice jumped at the sound of his name. He spun around to see his mentor stretching in front of the warriors den. The tortoiseshell-and-white tom was an unusual looking cat, seeing as it was very rare that males were born with a multi-coloured pelt. Bristlepaw once heard the elders muttering that Runningheart would never father kits, but he was sure that that was just a nursery tale. He knew that Shepherdheart of Riverclan had tortoiseshell fur, and his son Brackenfoot was a warrior now.

Shaking his head of his musings, Bristlepaw pelted over to his mentor. "What are we doing today Runningheart?" he asked when he was within earshot. He anxiously circled the older cat, unable to sit still.

"It's time you had a better look at what's outside camp," his mentor meowed, craning his neck to keep Bristlepaw in his sights. "You and I are to patrol the Shadowclan border."

_The forest!_ Bristlepaw had never stepped paw out of camp before. Rosepaw had crept into the forest with Dawnsayer when they were kits, and back then a monster had been on the loose. Bristlepaw had never forgotten that, and now he was eager to even the score. "Great, lets go!" he meowed, marching toward the entrance tunnel.

"So long as you can keep up," said Runningheart behind him. Bristlepaw turned to ask the warrior what he'd meant, but only saw a blur of pale fur as his mentor sped by, disappearing into the thorn tunnel. Stumbling forward, Bristlepaw ran to keep up with him. When he burst through the tunnel, he couldn't locate the swift warrior at first, then he spotted Runningheart crouched up on the ridge above the hollow.

"You'll have to do better than that!" his mentor chastised before vanishing over the hill.

Indignation flooded Bristlepaw. _I'll show him who's slow!_

Picking up the pace, he raced over the hill with little problem. He spied Runningheart through the trees, which were much bigger than the oaks surrounding the hollow. Their height combined with the strange new smells of the forest made Bristlepaw dizzy. It was late Newleaf, and the forest was bursting with new life. Blinking hard to clear it all away, he raced after his mentor, who was still running steadily ahead. But no matter how hard he pushed himself, Bristlepaw's legs were simply too short to keep up with a full grown warrior. The thought pricked at his pride. He always believed himself to be a quick and surefooted cat, but next to Runningheart he was slower than a Riverclan elder.

Branches pulled at Bristlepaw's pelt as he raced along, and he stumbled on the uneven trail. The ground back at the hollow was smooth and laced with many cracks and fissures, perfect grip for a cat's claws. But out here there were leaves, stones, and bushes in his path. Eventually, his paw caught under a root and he twisted it. Yowling, Bristlepaw fell into a heap, his paw throbbing painfully. As he sat up to examine what damage there was, Runningheart appeared at his side.

"Don't push yourself too hard," the warrior meowed, taking a look at the paw himself. "Its just a sprain, you'll be fine."

With that, Runningheart was off again, but this time at a slower pace. After shaking off the pain in his paw and testing it with a few tentative steps, Bristlepaw found he could match his mentor's speed, but not without some difficulty. He supposed he should be glad he had a mentor who had the stamina to push him, but right now it was a bit irksome.

Eventually, Runningheart skidded to a stop at the edge of a clearing. On both sides of the empty space, the oaks mixed with that of pines and firs. The warm familiar scent of Thunderclan was tainted with an unfamiliar stench that had Bristlepaw wrinkling his nose.

"This is the Shadowclan border, isn't it?" he asked his mentor.

Runningheart nodded. "Remember that scent, Bristlepaw. One day you will have to identify your enemies with it."

Before Bristlepaw could respond, a rustling in the sparse undergrowth across the clearing had both cats crouching down.

"Keep still," Runningheart instructed, peering out through the gaps in the ferns.

"Why are we hiding?" Bristlepaw whispered. "We're on our side of the border."

"Shadowclan wont give anything away if Thunderclan warriors are in plain sight," his mentor hissed back. "This way we can catch them at whatever they have planning."

The Shadowclan scent grew stronger before three cats appeared. The trio was led by a black-and-white she-cat, who paused on her side of the border, her ears pricked in the Thunderclan cats' direction.

"See?" meowed a red-brown tom. "There's nobody here."

The she-cat narrowed her eyes. "I could have sworn I heard something."

A huge gray tom with a shredded ear stepped up to the border. "Then lets see what those rats are up to," he snarled.

The red-brown tom's tail twitched nervously. "I don't think we should go crossing borders based on a stray sound in the wind." His voice quavered as he confronted his larger Clan mate, almost as if he feared the other tom. "So long as they stay on their side they can do what they want."

"Thunderclan is _always_ out for our prey!" growled the gray tom. "If they're skulking right on the edge of the border, Littlestar will want to know why."

Bristlepaw's throat felt thick as he swallowed. He glanced at his mentor, who was crouched rigidly beside him. Runningheart's eyes were trained on the Shadowclan warriors. As the three of them argued further, Runningheart leaned in to whisper in Bristlepaw's ear, pointing his nose in the direction of the cats he was identifying.

"The she-cat is Sharpears, and the two toms are Mudeyes and Thorntooth." He snapped his jaws shut when there was a short lull in the Shadowclan cats' argument. Mudeyes was still adamant about remaining on their territory, but Sharpears and Thorntooth were stubbornly insisting that they take a look a tail-length across the border. "Watch out for Thorntooth. He's deadly."

"What do we do if they decide to come over?" Bristlepaw murmured breathlessly, his claws tearing at the ground. He could already imagine running them through that big tom's pelt, maybe even taking out his other ear. Then he would be called _Lostears_.

"Thunderclan doesn't flee from invaders," Runningheart replied. "I will confront them, and you will run back to camp as fast as you can and tell Stormstar to bring reinforcements."

Bristlepaw didn't like that. "Three against one? That's hardly fair!"

"Hush—!"

"I definitely heard something that time!" Sharpears meowed tensely, flicking her tail. She trained her eyes on the exact spot where the two Thunderclan cats were hiding. Thorntooth followed her line of sight and, without hesitation, charged across the clearing.

"Mousedung!" Runningheart cursed, bunching his muscles to spring. "Run back to camp, quick—!"

Before he could finish, Thorntooth was upon them. He was a lot bigger close up, and Bristlepaw let out a little yip of surprise. Runningheart threw himself at the Shadowclan cat, and they rolled viciously in the grass.

"Wait!" yowled Mudeyes, but the fight had begun. Sharpears let out a battle cry and pelted forward to back up her Clan mate.

He knew he had orders, but Bristlepaw couldn't leave his mentor behind. With a yowl he jumped forward to intercept Sharpears before she could reach the fighting toms.

Fresh out of the nursery, Bristlepaw had only his instincts and kithood play-fights with Rosepaw to go on. He leaped for the Shadowclan cat's throat, hoping his weight would bring her down. But Sharpears was a battle-hardened warrior, and twice Bristlepaw's size. With a grunt of surprise she batted him away. Knowing that to waste any time meant defeat, Bristlepaw sprang back to his paws and blindly lashed them at the advancing she-cat. Sharpears nimbly dodged his panicked attack, and the moment he was vulnerable, she dove in to strike. Swiping his paws out from under him, she pinned him in the grass. Their bout had lasted less than twenty heartbeats.

"Thunderclan must be desperate if they're willing to throw mewling kits into battle!" Sharpears jeered, revealing a set of frighteningly sharp teeth less than a whisker from Bristlepaw's eye.

"I'm an apprentice!" He snarled, thrashing beneath her weight. But it was no use. She had him.

"For Starclan's sake!" Mudeyes meowed frantically. "You just had to start something, didn't you?" He stopped at Sharpears side, watching the fight still going on between Runningheart and Thorntooth. Bristlepaw couldn't see the battle from where he was pinned, but he could hear their snarls and the shuffling sounds of their struggle.

"What are you waiting for?" Sharpears snapped. "Go help Thorntooth!"

With a sigh, Mudeyes left Bristlepaw's sight. As new sounds were added to the unseen battle, he continued to struggle beneath Sharpears' paws.

The she-cat glanced down and snarled at him. "Give it up, little mouse. You've been beaten."

"You won't get away with this!" Bristlepaw yowled, thrashing his small body further. "We've done nothing wrong!"

"That's for us to decide."

A sudden yowl from Runningheart halted Bristlepaw's wriggling. His heartbeat quickened as the sounds of struggle quieted. He prayed to Starclan, begging for his mentor's safety.

"Now," Thorntooth panted, pausing to catch his breath. It sparked pride in Bristlepaw. _I bet you wouldn't have won if you'd fought fair!_

"Just what do you think you were doing, sneaking around on the border?" Thorntooth demanded.

"What we do in our territory is our own business!" Runningheart snarled.

Bristlepaw tried to crane his neck to watch the exchange, but Sharpears cuffed him with sheathed paws. "Keep still!"

"Were you spying on us, trying to find weakness?" Thorntooth growled.

"I was introducing my apprentice to your unbearable stench!" Runningheart spat. "And to remind him that Shadowclan cats are all cowardly snakes!"

There was a hiss and the rasping sound of claws running through fur. Runningheart's grunt of pain indicated that Thorntooth had struck him. Bristlepaw renewed his struggles, rage providing him with fresh energy.

"Watch what you say, Thunderclan scum!"

"Thorntooth," Mudeyes soothed. "We should let them go. We can't prove that they were doing anything here."

"I think they've learned their lesson," Sharpears agreed. She leaned down to glare into Bristlepaw's eye. "Haven't you, little mouse?"

"I say we take them prisoner!" Thorntooth declared. "We let them live so long as Thunderclan offers us prey whenever we demand it."

As frightening as that thought was, Bristlepaw was no longer listening. While The Shadowclan cats had been deciding on what to do, he'd noticed a flicker of colour in the otherwise green undergrowth. He fixed his gaze on the ferns, waiting. A heartbeat later, the tip of a black tail appeared before dodging back into the forest.

Help had arrived.

Thinking quickly, Bristlepaw continued to wriggle beneath Sharpears' paws, growling and hissing for her benefit. He'd never met this she-cat before, but he knew enough to safely say that there was a good reason she had such a peculiar name. Ignoring him, the three cats continued to prattle on, completely unaware that enemy warriors were closing in.

Bristlepaw kept his eyes trained on the Thunderclan forest, waiting for what might be some sort of signal to attack. He almost stopped his act when a pair of gold eyes appeared a few fox-lengths away. It was hard to distinguish in the shadows, but Bristlepaw was sure that those eyes belonged to the Thunderclan deputy, Icetalon. The black she-cat offered him one sharp nod before fading into the murky depths of the trees.

Bristlepaw knew what he had to do. Gradually, he quieted down and allowed his muscles to go limp. He even panted heavily, pretending to have given up the fight. It took several moments, but Sharpears lightly relaxed her hold on him. Bristlepaw took a deep breath, knowing he would have only one chance.  
Without so much as a sound, he twisted suddenly, throwing Sharpears off balance. Without hesitation he sank his claws into her shoulder and buried his jaws into her scruff, thrashing his body back and forth.

Her shriek almost concealed the deputy's battle cry.

Icetalon, Tawnystorm, Fuzzypaw, and Bristlepaw's father, Stumpytail, exploded from the undergrowth, raining fury down upon the shocked Shadowclan warriors. As Bristlepaw fought to hold on to Sharpears, Tawnystorm pelted over to barrel her off her paws. Together the two Thunderclan cats forced her back onto her side of the border. The black-and-white warrior yowled her fury, lashing out unsheathed claws at them. After a few tense moments, however, the light of battle dimmed from her eyes when Thorntooth and Mudeyes fled into the pines. She met Bristlepaw's eyes menacingly.

"Until next time we meet, little mouse," she promised before turning tail and following her comrades.

Bristlepaw had half a mind to follow her, but he knew that it was unnecessary. He turned and ran over to where Runningheart was standing. His mentor had many wounds, but none of them seemed too serious. Yet Bristlepaw was no medicine cat, and he couldn't say for sure.

"Those cuts don't seem bad, but I want them thoroughly checked by Dawnsayer before I'm satisfied," Icetalon meowed, voicing Bristlepaw's thoughts. Runningheart nodded, his eyes dull from pain and exhaustion.

Next Icetalon turned to Bristlepaw. "We heard the racket you were making while we were hunting. We came as fast as we could."

"How are you holding up?" Stumpytail interrupted, his eyes scouring Bristlepaw's pelt for injuries. There were a few scrapes from his tussle with Sharpears, but otherwise Bristlepaw was fine. _Sharpears took it easy on me._

"I'll live," he purred.

His father nodded, and Icetalon purred her amusement. "I saw what you did," the deputy meowed. "It's not every day that an apprentice on his first patrol unbalances a seasoned Shadowclan warrior." She nodded at him. "Good work, Bristlepaw."

Bristlepaw glowed under the proud gazes of his deputy and his father.

"Let's head back," Icetalon ordered, flicking her tail for her patrol to follow her into Thunderclan territory. "Stormstar will want to hear of this straight away."  
Tawnystorm rested a tail on Runningheart's shoulder and guided the drained warrior around the trees and bushes.

"Bristlepaw," his mentor rasped, summoning his apprentice with his tail. Picking up the pace, Bristlepaw padded alongside the tortoiseshell-and-white tom.

"What you did back there…" He trailed off and shook his head. "You left Sharpears a scar to remember you by. Not only that, but you've also shamed her in front of friends and rivals alike. You've made yourself an enemy."

"I'm looking forward to seeing her again!" Bristlepaw growled, savouring the challenge in store for him.

"Well," Runningheart purred. "Let's just say that when you're granted you're warrior name, I'm betting Stormstar will dub you Bristleclaw."

Bristlepaw blinked at that, his pace faltering enough for his mentor to go on ahead.

_Bristleclaw_. He tested the name under his breath. _I quite like the sound of that._


End file.
